press release

The Federal Communications Commission is alerting consumers to be on the lookout for scam callers seeking to get victims to say the word “yes” during a call and later use a recording of the response to authorize unwanted charges on the victim's utility or credit card account.

On March 23, a coalition of digital rights advocates, racial justice groups and grassroots activists called on Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to make a more genuine effort to provide affordable internet access for low-income communities. In comments filed as part of an agency proceeding on its Lifeline program, members of Voices for Internet Freedom called on the FCC to reverse a February order revoking the Lifeline status of nine internet-access providers, and to fully implement the Lifeline Modernization Order passed in 2016. The Voices filing notes that the FCC’s revocation “erodes Lifeline's promise to bring affordable broadband to low-income consumers.”

Voices is urging the Commission to avoid any future effort to undermine Lifeline reforms put in place by former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, former Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. Free Press has received more than 13,000 comments from people across the country protesting Pai’s attacks on Lifeline and supporting the expansion of the program to broadband. Another 18,000 public comments were filed by Demand Progress, a digital rights group urging the FCC to support Lifeline and close the digital divide for those who need access most.

The Department of Justice reached a settlement that will prohibit DIRECTV and its parent corporation, AT&T, from illegally sharing confidential, forward-looking information with competitors.

The department’s Antitrust Division filed suit on Nov. 2, 2016, alleging that DIRECTV was the ringleader of a series of unlawful information exchanges between DIRECTV and three of its competitors – Cox Communications, Charter Communications and AT&T (before it acquired DIRECTV) – during the companies’ negotiations to carry the SportsNet LA “Dodgers Channel.” SportsNet LA holds the exclusive rights to telecast almost all live Dodgers games in the Los Angeles area. The settlement, which will obtain all of the relief sought by the department in its lawsuit, will ensure that when DIRECTV and AT&T negotiate with providers of video programming, including negotiations to telecast the Dodgers Channel, they will not illegally share competitively-sensitive information with their rivals. The settlement also requires the companies to monitor certain communications their programming executives have with their rivals, and to implement antitrust training and compliance programs.

The second Charles Benton Digital Equity Champion Award will be presented in May at Net Inclusion 2017 in St. Paul (MN) by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). This is a call for nominations for candidates for the award.

Digital Equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity they need for full participation in our society, democracy and economy. Digital Equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services. Named for Charles Benton, the founder of the Benton Foundation, the award was created by NDIA to recognize leadership and dedication in advancing digital equity: from promoting the ideal of accessible and affordable communications technology for all Americans, to crafting programs and policies that make it a reality.

The deadline for nominations for this year’s award is midnight (Eastern Daylight Time) Friday, April 14, 2017.

In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Federal Communications Commission is seeking comment on rules that would codify the “Do-Not-Originate” initiative proposed by the FCC and launched by the industry strike force, allowing the effort to continue to grow and help more consumers. The proposed rules would allow carriers to block spoofed caller ID numbers associated with phone lines that do not actually dial out, without running afoul of FCC rules requiring carriers to complete all calls. A test of this concept, conducted by Strike Force members with the FCC’s permission, reduced IRS scam calls by about 90 percent in the third quarter of 2016.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to simplify the process for Contraband Interdiction Systems (CIS) operators to obtain FCC Authorization to operate, allowing for quicker and easier deployment of these systems in correctional facilities. Specifically, this Order introduces a range of solutions including:

• FCC Authorization Process: The rules adopted today will streamline the process so CIS operators can obtain authorizations faster and with fewer filings.
• Carrier Cooperation: A CIS operator must have arrangements with every carrier providing service in its area in order for the system to be effective. The rules will require wireless carriers to cooperate with CIS operators and correctional facilities in a timely manner.
• FCC Ombudsperson: The Commission will designate an Ombudsperson to serve as the single point of contact for CIS operators and wireless carriers

The Federal Communications Commission approved new rules to improve the quality and efficiency of video relay services. Video relay services (VRS) enable people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech disabled to make calls over broadband through intermediaries using American Sign Language and a videophone. These changes respond to requests from VRS users for improved relay services – and a more robust marketplace of service providers – that are functionally equivalent to those available to hearing individuals.

Specific provisions of the new rules include:

• Specialized Interpreters: The FCC authorizes, on a trial basis, routing VRS calls that require the use of legal, medical, and computer support terminology to interpreters who have special skills in interpreting these technical conversations, and bringing in qualified deaf interpreters to help on calls from people with limited ability in signing or comprehension.
• Comparison Shopping for VRS Companies: The FCC will begin taking action to publish providers’ speed-of-response history to help consumers make informed choices when shopping among providers. The FCC will also explore the development of new service quality data to help consumers make informed choices.
• Direct Video Calls with Hearing People: Video phone numbers will be made available to hearing people who know American Sign Language, so they can have direct-dialed video calls with deaf consumers.
• At-Home Interpreting: The Order authorizes a pilot program for VRS calls to be handled from home-based work stations under strict requirements to maintain call quality and confidentiality.

The Federal Communications Commission moved to reform certain outdated rules applicable to the 800 MHz Cellular Service band to facilitate the use of Cellular spectrum for mobile broadband services such as long term evolution (LTE), which provides high-speed connectivity to today’s mobile consumers. To accommodate continued skyrocketing demand for mobile broadband, the revisions will allow providers to use Cellular spectrum to provide mobile broadband service to the public more efficiently, reduce barriers to innovation and investment and ease administrative burdens. At the same time, the rules will continue to safeguard public safety operations.

Specific reforms include:

• Power Reform: The FCC will facilitate broadband technologies by changing its technical rules to permit Cellular licensees to transmit the same amount of power across the spectrum band, whether they are deploying a legacy (narrow bandwidth) technology or modern (wider bandwidth) technology like LTE.
• Co-existence with Public Safety: The FCC will continue to ensure co-existence of Cellular and neighboring public safety systems by retaining Cellular-specific interference resolution rules and procedures and by engaging stakeholders via a public forum.
• Consistent Treatment with Similar Spectrum Bands: The FCC will treat Cellular spectrum consistently with other similar commercial wireless spectrum bands by conforming rules related to power measurement, out of band emissions, field strength, and discontinuance of operations.
• Unnecessary rules/burdens: The FCC will eliminate unnecessary rules and burdens related to application filings, domestic and international coordination, and comparative renewal.

The Federal Communications Commission took steps to streamline and eliminate certain international reporting requirements. Specifically, the Commission proposes to eliminate the annual Traffic and Revenue Reports, and seeks comment on whether there are ways to further streamline the Circuit Capacity Reports. The Commission believes these reports may no longer be necessary in their current form.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) adopted today proposes to eliminate the Traffic and Revenue Report as the costs of the data collection – which are significant for both filers and the Commission – now exceed the benefits of the information. The NPRM also seeks comment on streamlining and improving the reporting requirements for the Commission’s Circuit Capacity Reports. Providers of international telecommunications services are required to file annual reports identifying submarine cable, satellite, and terrestrial capacity between the United States and foreign countries.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order that expands broadcast stations’ ability to share a single TV channel so viewers can continue to receive their broadcast programming.

The ability to channel-share is an important component of the FCC’s incentive auction, mandated by Congress in 2012, which provides a voluntary opportunity for full power and Class A broadcast stations to relinquish their spectrum and share a channel with another full power or Class A broadcaster in exchange for a part of the proceeds from a related mobile wireless auction. Separately, the Commission in 2015 extended channel sharing to low power television (LPTV) and TV translator stations to help stations displaced by the incentive auction stay on the air. The Order permits television broadcast stations with an auction-related channel sharing agreement (CSA) to continue channel sharing by entering into a new CSA in the event that their existing agreement ends. This enables stations to continue providing service to their viewers. The new rules also permit Class A stations to channel share outside of the auction context. Additionally, all LPTV and TV translator stations are now able to share a channel with a full power or Class A station. This flexibility gives LPTV and TV translator stations that are displaced by the auction repacking process more options for continuing to operate. It also may reduce construction and operating costs for LPTV and TV translator stations, many of which have limited resources, are minority-owned, or provide programming to underserved audiences.